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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25252564">To Tread the Path of Darkness</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/eudaemonix/pseuds/eudaemonix'>eudaemonix</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Puyo Puyo (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Found Family, Friendship, Gen, Nonbinary Klug, Nonbinary Sig</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:40:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,660</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25252564</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/eudaemonix/pseuds/eudaemonix</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Schezo suddenly finds himself instructing a fledgling dark mage, and finding that there's more in common between them than meets the eye...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Klug &amp; Feli, Klug &amp; Lemres, Klug &amp; Schezo Wegey, Lemres &amp; Feli, Lemres &amp; Schezo Wegey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>86</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Intents of the Heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>      The midday sun shone down upon Schezo’s white hair and the sound of cicada cries droned in his ears. His eyes were shut tight as he deeply meditated and drew upon the natural magical energy in Primp’s soil, allowing it to flow through his body. He breathed slow and cautiously as he took care not to draw in too much magic, but not too little either. An abrupt shriek suddenly shattered his concentration and his eyes shot open in fear and confusion. His eyes darted around, looking for who, or what, made that hellish noise. When he found there was nothing in the immediate vicinity, he sighed and drew his sword from the ground next to him. “Goodness, you’d think I’d be able to find some peace and quiet in this forest… At least I managed to get what I came here for.” He kept his sword drawn just in case… it likely wasn’t anything serious though, he’d been here long enough to know that the only <em> immediate </em> dangers were Satan and Ecolo, and they’ve been on their best behavior for the most part.</p>
<p>      He trudged through the greenery of the Forest of Nahe while sunlight streamed in through the thick canopy, and the midday heat was reaching its peak now so he hoped to get out of the forest soon and back to his cool and damp cave for a well-deserved rest. Eventually…he began to hear a strange noise up ahead… it sounded like…a person talking? And as he pressed onward, the smell of burning wood flooded his senses. He pulled his cape up to his nose and furrowed his brow in confusion, “<em> Who would do such a thing…?” </em> He thought to himself. He found the source of the smell—another clearing in the forest. It was a bit larger than the one he had just been in a few minutes prior, but there was someone here before him. A tree, or the remains of a tree, stood before him. All that remained was a smoldering stump, no doubt the source of the burning smell. “But who was talking…?” He spoke to himself, his eyes looking through the trees for any sort of human figures, his ears carefully listening for the sound of another person, but he could find no signs. He inspected the stump closer and found a curious sigil, one of dark magic. His face distorted in confusion and concern, why would a place so peaceful be touched by dark magic? “Gale tenebris!” He casted a small spell on the stump to keep the embers from burning any longer and promptly decided this perhaps required more looking into. “What would’ve happened if I wasn’t there… Surely the people of this town understand that they must take responsibility for any secondary effects of their magic. Absolutely ridiculous,” he scoffed. </p>
<p>      He finally made it back to the forest’s entrance, and nearby he saw one of the town’s citizens sitting beneath a tree. His face was buried in a red book, so he couldn’t exactly get a good look at him, but he seemed familiar. Schezo’s mind darted back to the clearing, perhaps he should ask if he knew anything… But he also didn’t <em> really </em> want to be involved in any sort of investigation… Augh, whatever, it’s an innocent enough question surely? “You there!” He shouted, but received no response. Schezo rolled his eyes and walked up closer to the sitting figure, “Oi, I’m talking to you.” A pair of green eyes hidden behind round glasses looked up at Schezo and met his cold gaze, he recognized this young lad now. His name was… Klug, or something. He wasn’t ever very good with names, when someone has lived as long as he has everyone tends to blur together.</p>
<p>      “Erm. Can I help you?” Klug pulled his knees closer towards him. He was a bit annoyed that he was interrupted from his previous conversation, but also nervous… What does he want?</p>
<p>     “I was just meditating in the forest and heard a peculiar screaming, did you happen to hear it too?”</p>
<p>     “Er, no. I’ve been here this whole time and haven’t heard a single peep from the forest.”</p>
<p>       Schezo raised his eyebrow… why would he mention that he’d been here the whole time when that wasn’t what he asked…?</p>
<p>      “Well, did you happen to see smoke of any sort? I found a nearly completely incinerated tree while leaving. It looked…intentional, and almost unnatural.”</p>
<p>      “I haven’t seen a thing, though I’ve also been <em> quite </em> busy so perhaps I simply was too absorbed in my work to really notice anything,” Klug looked back down at his book. “Do you think you could leave me alone now? I really have no idea what you’re talking about.”</p>
<p>      Schezo scoffed in annoyance, “Well, I just want whoever it was to take responsibility for what they did. Dark magic sigils aren’t a toy, and I certainly don’t think they belong in a town as peaceful as this one.” </p>
<p>      “Well there <em> are </em> some <em> good </em> dark magic users, perhaps whoever it was just wanted to practice…” Klug kept his eyes trained on the book, maybe if he ignored him long enough this weirdo would get bored and leave him alone.</p>
<p>      “Perhaps there are good people, but the nature of dark magic…to steal power and use it as your own, to hurt, it is not a noble thing to admire.”</p>
<p>      “…What do you even know about dark magic?” A hint of annoyance carried itself on Klug’s voice, but also…a hint of curiosity.</p>
<p>      Schezo’s fists clenched hearing that, but he withheld his rage. He knew what would happen if he allowed himself to be blinded by anger. A young and naïve magician such as this boy wouldn’t understand what he had been through. </p>
<p>      “I know far more than you would ever hope to know, young man.” He sighed, “And also… there is no need to lie to me, I can tell you’re looking at sigils even now.”</p>
<p>      Klug closed his book in surprise, “W-Well, I just… well… It’s not like anyone was hurt. Nor am I thinking of hurting others.”</p>
<p>      “Yes, but someone <em> could </em> have been hurt, and others <em> can </em> be hurt. That is the issue, if you really wish to tread the path of dark magic you <em> must </em> fully comprehend what power you possess, as well as the responsibility to wield such power,” he planted his sword in the ground and sat by Klug’s side, he figured he would be here for a while…</p>
<p>      “Well, aren’t you fascinated by the allure of dark magic? Surely, every dark mage understands the risks...but the rewards! The sheer esotericism of it all!” Klug’s arms gestured widely, but he was met with an exasperated sigh from Schezo. Sure, it was...good, for someone of Klug’s age to be so enthusiastic, but if he didn’t reign in his enthusiasm he’d surely come to regret it…</p>
<p>    “You really don’t get it, do you? Or are you just ignoring everything I’m saying.”<br/>
    “...Well to be totally honest, yes. I’m ignoring everything a very nosy stranger is telling me right now.”</p>
<p>    “... Fair point.” Schezo groaned and dragged his hand down his face in exasperation. “...Well, listen.” he stood up, “I doubt there’s many acquainted with the dark arts in this town, but I’d be willing to demonstrate some of what I have learned over the years, but you have to promise me you’ll be wise in how you use it,” he was cut off by Klug scoffing and shrugging off his words.</p>
<p>    “Please, I’ve got plenty of wisdom.”</p>
<p>    “...That does not inspire much confidence within me.”</p><hr/>
<p>       Schezo and Klug decided to trek back into the forest to take another look at the sigil Klug had attempted to draw. </p>
<p>      “Erm, just one question. You say that you’re going to train me, buuut… How exactly do you plan to accomplish that? You don’t really come off as the teacherly type, no offense of course.” </p>
<p>      Schezo groaned, does this kid ever shut up…? Well… clearly he liked hearing himself talk. </p>
<p>    “...I’ll be honest, I haven’t quite figured it out yet. However I think seeing where you currently are in your journey will be a good place to start…” He slashed at a tree branch in their path, “So the sigil you were working on earlier will probably give me an idea.”</p>
<p>     Klug nodded understandingly, “Ahh, so you’re winging it. Lovely!” </p>
<p>    “<em>I’m never doing anything nice ever again for this kid.”  </em></p>
<p>Klug suddenly dashed forward past Schezo into the trees, “Oh, we made it!” Schezo shortly followed and walked once again into the clearing, the burnt stump was still where it was. Though the sigil on it seemed to have faded already… Schezo crouched to get a closer look, slowly tracing what was left of the sigil with his finger. </p>
<p>    “...A growth sigil? How in Puyo Hell did it turn into a flame sigil?”</p>
<p>    “Errrm, it’s a long story.”</p>
<p>    Schezo sighed, again. How many times would he do this today?</p>
<p>      “Well, no matter. At the very least I know that you are...doing something way out of your league here.” He stood up and turned to Klug with his arms crossed. “What...exactly were you thinking? Doing something of this level?”</p>
<p>    “Err, well, it looked rather simple in the book… Besides, I’ve drawn other sigils before! It didn’t seem <em> that </em>complicated.”</p>
<p>     Schezo rolled his eyes and decided to examine the stump again. Admittedly, despite how amateur it was, it was accurate save for a few spots that really shouldn’t have turned it into a flame sigil. </p>
<p>    “Has...anyone told you that when drawing sigils you must have the same intent in your mind as the sigil?”</p>
<p>    “Errr… yes! I knew that, isn’t that an absolute basic?”</p>
<p>    He definitely didn’t know that.</p>
<p>    “Well, I’ll demonstrate with a simple one,” Schezo took his sword and began to draw a complicated pattern in the dirt. The lines and curves all flowed naturally from his hand, as if it was something he had done every day of his life. As he enclosed a circle around the pattern, it began to move and distort, causing a whirlwind to kick up within the sigil’s confines. “A simple wind sigil, but I suppose it demonstrates my point clearly enough.”</p>
<p>    Klug looked at Schezo in awe and admiration, Schezo was even a bit taken aback by the wonder he saw in the boy’s eyes, but gave a small smile to indicate that he understood.</p>
<p>    “So, err, when you say that one’s intentions must be aligned with the sigil… How, exactly, do you do that? I felt like I was focused enough on the growth sigil I was attempting, but we both see how  that turned out.”</p>
<p>    Schezo was surprised at the sudden change in attitude, but he paid it no mind, at the very least the rest of this encounter might be less of a headache.</p>
<p>    “Anything can distort a sigil’s purposes, repressed emotions obstruct and cloud your mind and distract both you and your sigil from the true purpose.”</p>
<p>     Klug raised an eyebrow.</p>
<p>    “How can a sigil be distracted? It’s just a drawing, isn’t it? Magic isn’t alive.”</p>
<p>    “Magic may not be alive, but it has a will of its own, and as magicians we must be able to direct that will in accordance with our own,” he placed his hand on Klug’s shoulder. “Magic isn’t merely a tool, but an extension of the essence of every living thing. As such it is easily malleable, and you should take care that your true intentions aren’t… malicious or selfish, lest your magic corrupt you.”</p>
<p>     Klug looked down at the ground in confusion and gripped his book tightly in his hands, and a moment of silence passed as he pondered his next question. “Why do you know so much? Sigils are essentially a lost art here in Primp Town, and it’s not exactly easy to hitch a ride to the next town over and just… ask about this sort of thing.”</p>
<p>     Schezo smiled, but his expression looked… very tired, more tired than he already looked this entire time. Klug looked at him with a bit of concern, worried that perhaps he had touched a sore spot…?<br/>
   </p>
<p>     “Err, um! I-If that’s too much to ask, you really don’t need to answer, really.”</p>
<p>     “Oh, it’s nothing… You just remind me of myself at your age,” Schezo smiled and looked at the clouds floating overhead. “I won’t give you the answer right now, but let’s just say that I’ve had… a lot of time with dark magic, and I don’t want you to go through the same experiences I did if you continue down your path.”</p>
<p>     “Ah...well, thank you… Oh!” Klug awkwardly and abruptly extended his hand towards Schezo, catching him a bit off-guard. “Erm, I never got your name, actually, though you seem to know mine.”</p>
<p>    “Ah, forgive me,” Schezo met Klug’s hand with his own and gave him a firm handshake, “Call me Schezo. I’ve seen you around before, but only heard your name in passing from Arle,” he awkwardly broke the handshake, “I’m not exactly very good with meeting new people.”</p>
<p>    “Heh, likewise… I was the one who never asked for your name, after all,” Klug smiled sheepishly. “Do you think that… If I practice I could show you my progress, next time?”</p>
<p>     “Hm?” Schezo was surprised, he assumed that this kid would ignore his advice, but maybe he’ll listen… “Well, sure, why not. Just remember that I’m not your teacher, so don’t expect me to hold back on the criticism.”</p>
<p>     Klug laughed hearing that.</p>
<p>     “Of course not, I don’t expect a total stranger to be exactly merciful with the way I do magic, and experience is the best teacher at any rate…”</p>
<p>    “Well then, find me again when you think you’ve got it down, and we can workshop it. I think we’ve got all the time in the world.” </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Growth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Klug brings along a guest for his second lesson and Schezo learns that meeting new people isn't entirely a bad thing.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't like the title of Comet Warlock for Lemres so I refer to him as a Comet Sorcerer here just out of personal preference, Klug also calls Lemres "Sir" as a sign of respect and acknowledgement of Lemres's established social standing.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>      "Ugh, no good!" Klug exclaimed as he threw yet another half-finished sigil into the trash. "I think my intents are in the right place, but now I can't draw the damn things properly." He squinted and pressed his face closer to the paper, his hand clumsily scribbling out a crooked line. He sighed and threw it in the trash once more. He’d been at this for what felt like all morning, and was intending to meet with Schezo soon… oh, what to do.</p>
<p>      "Perhaps it's time you take a break, dontcha think?"</p>
<p>     "Well, yes that's a given but..." He looked up at the Record of Sealing and found it silent. "Who said that?" A gentle tapping on his front window drew his attention, and outside stood a familiar, smiling face. "L-Lemres!" Klug quickly ran to his front door to greet him, "Whatever are you doing in Primp Town?"</p>
<p>     "Nothing in particular, I was just passin’ by and thought I’d pay a visit." Lemres cast a quick glance around the room, though it was hard to tell with his eyes closed and all... "What're you working on there?" He pointed at the paper strewn across Klug’s table.</p>
<p>     "Oh! I'm trying my hand at sigil drawing... Surely you're familiar with it?" Lemres raised his eyebrows in surprise, and... a bit of worry. That was an older form of magic, and one only highly skilled magicians used… manipulating magic directly like that isn’t very common practice.</p>
<p>     "I have, though I didn't know they taught that here in Primp Town.”</p>
<p>     "Oh, I'm teaching myself!" Klug chuckled nervously, "Well, I guess that's not entirely true. I do have a teacher of sorts."</p>
<p>     "Ms. Accord?"</p>
<p>     "No, some vagrant by the name of Schezo," Klug said. "He has such familiarity with the art, it's really a wonder how he managed to end up in this backwards place and not in your home city."</p>
<p>     "I see..." Lemres stroked his chin, his curiosity was admittedly piqued. It wasn't every day you heard of anyone outside of the most elite dark mages talking about the art of sigil drawing. Perhaps he should meet this Schezo.</p>
<p>     "I'm actually about to go and meet him. I've almost gotten this growth sigil down...just need to work out a few of the kinks," Klug beamed at Lemres. "I'm quite sorry I can't entertain you any longer. I would have made you a cup of tea or something, but it was still lovely to see you again, sir!"</p>
<p>     "Hang on," Lemres held his broom handle up to Klug's face, "Why don't I tag along? Perhaps I could sit in on this...tutoring session of yours."</p>
<p>     Klug tried not to squeal with excitement, having Lemres teach him dark magic, privately...! Lemres wasn't even a dark magician by trade, but he hailed from a rather famous family of dark mages so it was no surprise that he was familiar with its inner workings. He’d get to see a side of Lemres not many are privy to, oh…the more he thought about it, the harder it was to contain his excitement. But he <em>must</em> stay collected! It simply isn’t befitting of a future dark sorcerer to act in such a way.</p>
<p>     "O-Of course, it would be my pleasure! Though, I must warn you that this Schezo character isn't the most pleasant person in the world.”</p>
<p>     "Noted, maybe his bark's worse than his bite." Lemres patted Klug's shoulders and chuckled. "Let's cut our travel time in half and travel there by broom, kay?"</p>
<p>     "Oh, yes! Sounds perfect. Let me just go get my things," Klug took the Record of Sealing with him and hurried to his room. He picked up some pens and paper, hastily stuffing them into his book bag and then dashing out the door as quick as he came in. Once outside, he practically leapt onto Lemres's broom, and they were off. Slowly they ascended into the sky above Primp, everything shrinking beneath them and blending into a beautiful green hue. </p>
<p>    “Where to?”</p>
<p>    “The caves by the Forest of Nahe, I believe he’s taken up residence there.”</p>
<p>    “Huh, you weren’t kidding when you said this guy was just some wanderer, huh?”</p>
<p>     “That wasn’t… <em>exactly</em> what I said, but yes. I’m not even sure where he came from, though he showed up here with Rulue and that man that claims to be Satan not very long after Arle… I suppose they’re companions or something.”</p>
<p>     “Suppose so,” Lemres leaned forward and the broom began to fly through the clear sky. “There anything else I should know about this guy?”</p>
<p>     “Hmm, well he spends a lot of time in the forest… not sure why, first time I met him it was there, I think. Other than that… he’s kind of a strange one, he talks in a rather old-fashioned way.”</p>
<p>     “Heh, like you?” Lemres joked.</p>
<p>     “A-Absurd! I merely speak in a manner befitting a future dark sorcerer, I’m not some old… fuddy-duddy like Schezo.” Lemres laughed, it was always pretty easy to tease Klug. Though he should lay off for now.</p>
<p>     “Course you aren’t, though I think your friends are right in that you can afford to lighten up a little,” Lemres began the broom’s descent. “Not like you’re going to be fifteen forever, y’know? Do some stuff besides studying and theorizing.”</p>
<p>      “I suppose, I’ll think on it after today’s session, sir!”</p>
<p>      “There’s a good kid.”</p>
<p>      As they got closer to the ground, Klug could see the opening of Schezo’s cave.</p>
<p>     “Ah, there it is!” He pointed, Lemres landed the broom gently and delicately, causing a soft whoosh of air underneath it. “Thank you for the ride, Lemres!”</p>
<p>     “No problem,” He waited until Klug hoisted himself off the broom, and then landed on his own feet. “I’m pretty curious about all this myself, so really I should be thanking you for lettin’ me tag along.”</p>
<p>     “Ahh, it’s no problem,” Klug blushed and smiled, “I just hope Schezo isn’t opposed to guests.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>              Inside the cave, Schezo was meditating once again. The energies inside his own cave weren’t as powerful as the forest’s, but the magic was much clearer thanks to the special crystals embedded into the earth. His chest rose and fell as he slowly withdrew the earth’s energies into his own body, allowing it to flow through his veins and become part of his own essence. He sighed and opened his eyes, the sun was beginning to shine brighter outside. Perhaps he’d take a nap soon…</p>
<p>              “Knock knock, Schezo? It’s me, Klug!” A familiar voice echoed through the cave.</p>
<p>              <em>“Oh, right.”</em></p>
<p>              He had forgotten that that kid was coming around today… Save that nap for later.</p>
<p>              “Yes, yes. I’m coming.” He picked up his sword and walked towards the cave’s entrance, as he exited he squinted in the harsh sunlight. He slowly opened his eyes and saw to his surprise, two figures standing in front of the mouth of the cave.</p>
<p>              “…Uhh.”</p>
<p>              “Schezo! This is Lemres, he’s a…erm, an acquaintance of mine?” He held Schezo’s hand and extended it towards Lemres in an attempt to ensure that Schezo wouldn’t forget to introduce himself, at the very least.</p>
<p>              “I-“</p>
<p>              “No need to be so modest, Klug,” Lemres extended his hand in exchange and gave Schezo a firm handshake. “I’m a friend of his. Name’s Lemres, but you already knew that.”</p>
<p>              “…Schezo. Nice to meet you,” Schezo wasn’t entirely pleased at this sudden development, he hoped this wouldn’t lead to more headaches for him…</p>
<p>              “A man of few words, I see,” Lemres chuckled. “Though I recall we’ve met before, you certainly said some…forward things back then. Cat got your tongue now?” Schezo’s pale face suddenly turned a shade of red as he instantly recalled that… <em>dreadful</em> encounter back at the tournament.</p>
<p>              “I… I was merely all mixed up from falling from the sky, you see! I can speak just fine, thank you.” Schezo broke off the handshake in embarrassment. “Social graces aside… What exactly are you doing here? I told Klug these were <em>private</em> sessions. If you’re interested in sigil drawing then get on your broom and find someone else to teach you.”</p>
<p>              “Ohoho, au contraire, I’m here to sit in and see what all the hype’s about,” Lemres smiled and put his hand on Klug’s shoulder. “See, I’m a bit familiar with dark magic and  sigils myself, though I’m a light mage by trade…Comet Sorcerer, you know.”</p>
<p>              “Ah, yes… I recall now, you mentioned that the first time we met,” it took Schezo a while to recall their encounter. It wasn’t easy remembering all the people he was meeting these days.</p>
<p>              “Precisely, so I’d like to see your teaching methods and maybe nudge your pupil here in the right direction.” Lemres smiled, his seemingly closed eyes sparkling in excitement and glee. Schezo wasn’t very impressed, this seemed just like more of a hassle than anything. Though… it didn’t seem like it’d be easy to get him to go away, so that’d just be more trouble to do.</p>
<p>              “Fine. You can sit in, just keep the interruptions to a minimum.”</p>
<p>              “Yes, sir!” Lemres jokingly replied, but he was certain this’d be an interesting sight to witness. At first glance, Schezo didn’t seem like the type to be well-versed in magic, so Lemres looked forward to seeing what Klug saw in him</p>
<p>              “Now.” Schezo turned to Klug, “I said we’re covering the four basic sigil types, right? Growth, or plant, whatever you wish to call it, water, fire, and wind.”</p>
<p>              “Correct!”</p>
<p>              “How’s the growth sigil going? It’s the most basic one, so I’m hoping you’ve made some decent progress.”</p>
<p>              “Ah…well…” Klug pulled out a stack of notes of various sizes, some were singed, some had water damage, some were crumpled. “I can’t seem to get them to do the intended effect, the little differences between all the sigils are quite… nuanced, I can’t seem to get the internal symbol’s stroke order right, and it’s so similar to the fire sigil that it just…burns up.’</p>
<p>              “…How did you manage to make the water and wind ones?” Schezo asked, holding a piece of paper distorted from water damage.</p>
<p>              “Errrm… long story?” Klug shrugged, “Ehehe…” Schezo grumbled something under his breath. How would he even go about explaining these things to him…</p>
<p>              “Pardon the interruption, but might I add something that might enlighten your pupil, Mr. Schezo?”</p>
<p>              “…Go for it,” Schezo waved his hand dismissively, what could some light mage have to offer when it comes to dark magic.</p>
<p>              Lemres walked over to a patch of dirt, holding his broom in hand. “So, Klug, what do you know about sigils so far? Can you explain how they work to me?”</p>
<p>              “Erm…well, they’re sort of…? A set of instructions for how magic should move, and this has an external result on the world in the form of the sigil’s effect.”</p>
<p>              “Good, but that’s a rudimentary understanding of sigils, do you know the basic components of a sigil?”</p>
<p>              “Erm… no, actually. My book doesn’t have any information on that sort of thing, and Schezo didn’t even tell me there were parts to them.”</p>
<p>              “So, see here,” Lemres began to draw in the dirt with his broomstick, the end result was the internal symbol of the growth sigil. “In ancient times when we didn’t have Puyo, magic was accomplished through runes, they’re sort of… an alphabet that magic can understand, get it?” He then drew smaller symbols around the growth sigil. “What I’m sayin’ is, sigils are a condensed way of talkin’ to magic. Instead of writing out a full sentence, you’re basically writin’ out a code for the magic to move, catch my drift?” Klug nodded enthusiastically in response, but Schezo rolled his eyes. Knowing that won’t make it easier for the boy to draw sigils, after all. “The circles are sort of like your punctuation, they end your code and give the magic the okay sign to move and do its thing,” Lemres continued, drawing a circle around the symbols and causing a small plant to sprout. “Now, what’s the different between sigils and how we use magic now?” He looked up at Klug, who was already searching for the answer somewhere in his head.</p>
<p>              “Oh! This is… a much more <em>direct</em> manipulation of magic, Puyo are a proxy through which we manipulate magic, this requires no proxy as we’re speaking to the magic directly to accomplish the sorcery.”</p>
<p>              “Correct!”</p>
<p>              “Graah,” Schezo groaned, “How is a lecture like that supposed to help him understand? He’ll learn better from just doing it!” He was cut off by Lemres holding up his broomstick to his face.</p>
<p>              “Not everyone’s the same, Klug’s the kinda kid that likes being able to understand the how and why, y’know? You might be satisfied with just knowing how to do it, but you’ve got <em>years</em> of experience on this kid. So have some patience,” Lemres said. Schezo exhaled harshly, but shrugged.</p>
<p>              “Fine, let’s just see if he can get it. Try and demonstrate a growth sigil for me with your newfound understanding, Klug.”</p>
<p>              “Right away!” Klug immediately took out a piece of paper and began to work on drawing the sigil, it was a bit slow but his strokes looked much more confident to Schezo already. As Klug enclosed the runes, the paper distorted and a small sprout took its place. His eyes glowed with pride and excitement as he showed the sprout to Lemres and Schezo. “I did it! I really did it!”</p>
<p>              “That’s the way!” Lemres patted his forehead and laughed. Schezo couldn’t help but laugh too, and gave Klug a congratulatory pat on the back.</p>
<p>              “Good work, though remember: You’ll need to keep practicing, ensure your heart’s intentions are pure and good, yes?”</p>
<p>              “Understood! I’ll keep practicing all week!”</p>
<p>              “Don’t focus too much, or growth sigils are gonna be the only thing you’re good at!” Lemres teased. “But seriously, I’m so proud of you, kiddo. Keep up the good work.”</p>
<p>              Klug nodded and sat down to draw more sigils, and get started on next week’s lesson. Schezo smiled, his heart filled with…some sense of pride? Happiness? Fulfillment, maybe. Whatever it was, it was something he hadn’t really felt in a long time.</p>
<p>              “Feels good to see em get excited about it, huh?”</p>
<p>              “Eh? I guess so… I’ve never been a teacher to anyone.”</p>
<p>              “Heh, it feels good to see your students get really into what you’re teaching. I hope he can keep studying under ya. Though…mind if I talk to ya for a sec? I’ve got a couple questions.”</p>
<p>              “Erm, sure.” The two of them walked into the mouth of the cave, though not out of Klug’s sight.</p>
<p>              “…Where are you from, exactly? I’ve never seen a dark wizard who doesn’t even know the components of a sigil,” Lemres’s demeanor changed suddenly, as stark as the difference inside of the cave and outside of it. Schezo was, admittedly, caught off guard by the sudden question. It sounded somewhat accusatory…</p>
<p>              “Some other world, I ended up here a while back as you remember,” he was interrupted by laughter from Lemres.</p>
<p>              “Ah, forgive me, it’s just funny to recall.”</p>
<p>              “…Well, as I was saying, I’m from some other world. I’m not sure where it is anymore.” He looked out towards Klug, who was enthusiastically creating more and more plants from thin air. “We don’t have magic schools where I’m from, I learned everything on my own.”</p>
<p>              “No schools? Well, that explains a lot…”</p>
<p>              “What is that supposed to mean?”</p>
<p>              “That’s besides the point, hahaha… Either way, I was just wondering. You have a more natural understanding of this sort of thing than me, I admittedly tagged along because I wanted to see what kind of person Klug would talk about in the same way he talks about me.”</p>
<p>              “…About you?”</p>
<p>              “Yeah, well… I’m something of a celebrity I guess. Don’t really like callin’ myself that, but Klug seems to buy into the hype like everyone else.” Lemres leaned against his broom and sighed, “Guess I just wanted to see what it was like to buy into the celeb hype myself just once.”</p>
<p>              “Heh, I’m no celebrity… I’m just someone who’s lost and trying to figure out if there’s any place in the world left for someone like him.” Schezo sighed, looking up at the cloudless sky. He wondered what was happening back home… Lemres looked at his face with concern, and thought carefully of what to say next.</p>
<p>              “…You mind if I come along again with Klug next time? I figure you’ve got some stuff you can teach me too.”</p>
<p>              “…Sure,” Schezo said. “I’d like that, actually.” It wasn’t often he saw Arle or Rulue anymore, even when they tried to swing by from time to time. Maybe it’d be good to make some new friends.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading! I plan to have more chapters covering Klug's journey as he learns the basic sigils.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Passion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yet another special guest tags along with Klug on his third lesson with Schezo.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>          “And just <em>what</em> is <em>that </em>thing doing here?!” Klug cowered behind Lemres as Feli’s eyes glared daggers into Klug’s soul. God. It felt like she could lunge at any moment…</p><p>          “Now, now, you two. I want you to be on your best behavior for today,” He placed his hands upon their heads. “I think Feli could learn a thing or two from that new teacher of yours, Klug.” Feli opened her mouth to retort, only for Klug to be quicker on the draw.</p><p>          “But what does she have to learn from him?! Divination and dark magic might have similar roots, but they certainly aren’t the same.” Feli glared at him, then rolled her eyes.</p><p>          “Sir, if you think this will help my understanding of magic to grow, then I have complete faith in you…! Even if it requires my cooperation with Four-Eyes…” Feli looked up at Lemres with admiration in her eyes, and Lemres smiled. At least one of them wasn’t…<em>totally</em> horrified at the thought of getting along for one afternoon. If things did go south though, he’d be there to break them up.</p><p>          Klug furrowed his brows in frustration and glared at Feli, who stuck her tongue out at him in response.</p><p>          “You…!!” He clenched his fist and sighed, it wasn’t worth it. “Fine, I’ll deal with the brat just this once.”</p><p>          “There’s a good kid, you guys can learn a lot from each other y’know? Instead of bickering like cats and dogs you should try to get to know each other.”</p><p>          “I’m <em>never</em> giving this nerd the time of day, and that’s final.”</p><p>          “Well, maybe if you actually went outside during the day you could <em>give</em> me the time!”</p><p>          “Guys, guys!” Lemres sighed, these two were…impossible. “Let’s just stop there and go meet up with Schezo, kay?”</p><p>          “Fiiiiine.” The two of them said in unison.</p>
<hr/><p>          “…It’s like you’re all multiplying or something,” Schezo looked down at the demure girl standing next to Lemres. She was…quite small, but Lemres’s height probably made her seem smaller than she really was. Though... there was something interesting about her that Schezo couldn’t quite put his finger on. “So, who’s this?” He kneeled down to her eye level.</p><p>          “…Feli.”</p><p>          “She’s my underclassman, also an apprentice of sorts? She’s a dark mage too, so I figured this’d be a good learning experience for her.” Lemres patted Feli’s head and smiled at Schezo.</p><p>          “Well, if you say so…” Schezo stood up and his mind wandered briefly to wondering how a light mage came to be surrounded by so many dark magic users, but he decided now wasn’t really the best time to ask. “So, what’s your magic, Feli?”</p><p>          “...Divination and charm-making.”</p><p>          “I see…” Schezo reflected on the few diviners he knew, there were very few that communicated with dark spirits that he remembered. Though…there was one young girl he met long ago that used holy magic to divine, and he recalled recognizing the symbols she used. “So you’re probably somewhat familiar with the runes we use then,” he turned to Klug. “Klug, what sigil were you focusing on since last time?”</p><p>          “Oh, the fire one! I think I’ve made some good progress…”</p><p>          “Mind demonstrating for us?”</p><p>          “With pleasure,” Klug smiled smugly. “Watch and learn, Feli!” Klug drew the sigil with  much more confidence than last week, Schezo was surprised at how much he’d progressed in such little time. The runes flowed from his hands naturally and with little effort he created a small flame in the center of his hands. “Ta-da~.”</p><p>           “Heh, nice work.” Klug stood proudly and sneered in Feli’s direction, Schezo didn’t totally understand what was going on, but turned towards her. She was still clinging to Lemres’s cloak like a scared child. He looked up at Lemres in concern, only for the warlock to nod and smile as if to push him to talk to her.</p><p>           “You think you can do that? I’m sure you know the runes if you already do charm-making.”</p><p>           “Yeah, I’m sure I can. I don’t see why I have to show you, though…”</p><p>           “Come on now, Feli, show him what you can do…” Lemres pushed her forward a bit, her hands were clenched around her dowsing rods as if someone was about to take them away from her.</p><p>           “...Fine, just this once, this is all a waste of time.” She took the dowsing rods in her hand and began to draw the sigil...in the air. Schezo was surprised at her confidence, but realized she’s probably been trained for a long time to utilize them. She created a fireball, slightly bigger than Klug’s, and immediately snuffed it out. “There. Bigger and better than what Four-eyes did, right, Sir?” Surprisingly she turned to look at Lemres rather than Schezo, her eyes twinkling in anticipation.    </p><p>           “You both did great, Feli, though I can tell you’ve been practicing.”</p><p>           “Heh,” Feli chuckled. Schezo opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by a biting comment from Klug.</p><p>           “Oh come on, she’s been using those rods since she could walk! Of course she’s going to be able to make a better sigil than I could,” Klug scoffed indignantly.</p><p>           “Is there something I should know about between you two?” Schezo crossed his arms, he really wasn’t interested in this teenage bickering.</p><p>           “Oh nothing,” Feli rolled her eyes. “He just thinks he’s better than me even though he’s just a snivelling little nerd who’s all bark and no bite.”</p><p>           “You…!! You creepy little emo!” Klug shouted, “If I was at your school you <em>know</em> I’d outclass you, heh, that’s why you target me! It’s just jealousy for my natural talent.”</p><p>           “You couldn’t get into my school if your life depended on it!”</p><p>           “That’s enough!” Schezo and Lemres both yelled in unison, the bickering stopped immediately and turned into a deafening silence. The four of them looked at each other awkwardly, waiting for someone to break the silence.</p><p>           “Er, go on,” Lemres motioned for Schezo to say his piece. Schezo sighed and cleared his throat, he...wasn’t good with teenagers.</p><p>           “Why do you two fight? You’re both dark mages…” Schezo planted his sword in the ground, “Though...admittedly, you two remind me of how I talk to a friend of mine.”</p><p>           “We <em>aren’t </em>friends.” Feli muttered.</p><p>           “Hahaha, that’s what I said too at first,” Schezo laughed. “But, her talent and her magic helped drive me to perfect my own… The talent she has for it is truly motivating, it’s almost as if a fire burns within her.” He looked up at both of them. “I am...unsure what differences you two have between you, but surely you can look at each other’s talents and skills and learn from one another instead of bickering like this?”</p><p>           The two of them crossed their arms, Lemres had said the same thing earlier… Maybe he was right, and ...maybe Schezo was too.</p><p>           “He’s got a point, yknow,” Lemres chimed in, a small ball of fire floated in his palm as he began to talk. “Sure, it’s good to have rivals and want to aspire to be better, but you’ll both grow a lot more if you give and take from each other. Sort of like how fire can’t keep burning on its own, it’s gotta have a fuel source.” He closed his palm and smiled at the two of them. “You’re both very talented kids, I can see that, and obviously..Schezo can too. ...Besides, you can always settle your differences in Puyo, you know? So go and blow off some steam and we can continue the lesson.”</p><p>           Lemres prodded them away and let them start their match, this would occupy them for a few minutes and maybe refocus the conversation once they were calmed down. “...You did a good thing, there,” Lemres commented.</p><p>           “Hm? Oh, well… I suppose, they really do remind me of myself and Ar- my friend.”</p><p>           “Hehe, it’s good to know you aren’t alone. I thought you lived out here and just talked to yourself all day,” Lemres teased.</p><p>           “Of course not! I like being alone, but...Of course I have friends,” his eyes turned to Feli and Klug building chains and casting spells at one another, they seemed so much happier, way more than earlier. “...I don’t think I’d be who I am today, without them.”</p><p>           “...Are they your fuel?”</p><p>           “...Yeah, I think so.” Lemres looked back at Schezo, “And whatever is yours, Comet Sorcerer? It seems strange for one like yourself to be surrounded by dark mages like those two.”</p><p>           “Ah, well… I guess I wanted to stick it to my family, in some ways.”</p><p>           “...You dislike them?” Schezo tilted his head in curiosity. It took Lemres a moment to reply, maybe that was too forward…?</p><p>           “...We’re different, I guess,” Lemres looked at the two battling. “It started with me just wanting to prove that I wasn’t like them, but now…” He looked down at his hands, “I really do love light magic, but denying my heritage as a dark mage and history with dark magic is just a disservice to myself. I wouldn’t be who I am today without what I learned as a kid,” Lemres smiled. “I hope I can be a good role model for those two, at least.”</p><p>           “... With someone like you looking out for them? I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about.”</p><p>           They watched the two battle in silence, ready to move on with the day’s lesson once they wrapped up. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Maybe I'm misremembering but this feels like the shortest chapter so far... I wanted to touch on Feli and Klug's relationship and reference some stuff regarding the tension between them...Will I ever write more about them? Who knows. Still fun to write them interacting, Schezo and Lemres's mentor instincts coming out in full force also made me smile, hope it made you smile too :-) Also this was probably so short because I finished writing it during a calculus lecture. Yay school...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Direction</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Schezo, Lemres, and Klug take a field trip to the Arca Ruins and Schezo learns more about the events of Klug and Lemres's past.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is the longest chapter I wrote I think and perhaps the most self-indulgent chapter. I hope you enjoy my interpretation of the character' relationships and the events of Fever 2!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>     Schezo stood outside of his cave, looking up at the morning sky and reflecting on the recent weeks. ...odd, he realized now that he'd started keeping track of the days. He never really paid attention, every day really was just the same, but for some reason he'd begun to look forward to his weekly meetings with Klug and Lemres...</p><p>     ... He wasn’t one to be sentimental, though. He shrugged off the thought and picked up his sword. He needed to go meditate again, but he wanted to find a different spot in town, just to make sure he wasn't draining too much magic from his usual spots. ...though...where to go, was the question. He usually went back and forth between the caves and the Forest of Nahe, was there anywhere else that'd be near enough...? Despite being in Primp Town for a while now, he...really had no idea of the geography of the place, or any landmarks he could go to.</p><p>     "...How troublesome," he muttered to himself. He scratched his forehead and looked down at his sword, and then back up at the sky. "...Perhaps Klug would know some place...?" Schezo pondered for a moment, a young scholar like Klug would surely know of the best places for this sort of thing... And if that failed, he could ask Lemres… "Well, it's worth a shot." Schezo began to set off until he realized… He had no idea where Klug lived. He stood in silence, as if waiting for something to knock him out of his stupor. He heard something rustling behind him, and turned to find something blue protruding from the bushes. "Who goes there?" He shouted, his sword ready to strike.</p><p>     "Huh?" A familiar face popped out of the bushes, his hair was covered in leaves, and he had a bug net in his hands. "Just Sig."</p><p>     "Ah... Have we met somewhere before?" </p><p>     "Not sure, maybe. Not that good with faces," Sig stepped out of the bushes and brushed the leaves off his clothes. A bug cage was hanging at his hip, and it was filled with various specimens of insects. Schezo's eyes were drawn to Sig's left hand, it was...bizarrely large, and completely red. He felt something...demonic radiating from it, intriguing... He shook his head, he had other things to take care of today.</p><p>     "Err, do you live here? Do you happen to know where someone by the name of Klug lives?"</p><p>     "Glasses? They live by the town square, big two-story purple house with a hedge in front. Can't miss it."</p><p>     "Ah, thank you for your help..."</p><p>     "Are you the teacher he's been talking about?" Sig asked as Schezo turned to walk away, his ears perked up as he was...surprised to hear this.</p><p>     "...They’ve been talking about me?"</p><p>     "Yeah. They've been going on and on about something lately, not really good at listening so...I don't get it, but he’s excited. It’s nice to see." Sig looked at Schezo blankly, "Well. Have fun today," they turned and walked away into the woods without another word, leaving Schezo to ponder the whole encounter a bit longer.</p><p>     "Ah, well... I suppose it's nice to know my efforts are acknowledged..." He smiled to himself, and set off in the direction Sig had told him.</p><p>     "Hello, Klug?" Schezo knocked cautiously upon the door. "This is his home, right...?" He tapped his foot impatiently, he hoped he didn't have the wrong address…</p><p>     "Just a moment!" A frantic voice called out from inside the house, followed by a muffled cacophony of furniture falling over. Suddenly the door swung open, and a disheveled but familiar face revealed itself. "How can I- Schezo?! What are you doing here? ...More importantly, how'd you get my address?" Klug quickly adjusted his glasses and patted down his flyaway hairs.</p><p>     "Ah, Sig was kind enough to tell me where you live... I have something to ask you about, you see."</p><p>     "Oh! Well, come in, then!" Schezo stepped into Klug's home, it was...spacious and well-decorated, but oddly- no sign of overturned furniture in spite of the noise he'd overheard earlier. Perhaps the mess was on the upper floor.</p><p>     "What did you want to know?" Klug poured Schezo a cup of herbal tea and invited him to sit down, they were curious about what someone like Schezo would want to know...they'd really grown to admire him in the short amount of time he knew him.</p><p>     "Oh, well you see..." Schezo picked up the teacup in his hands and paused for a moment, he...didn't know how to really tell this kid about what he was doing in the forest...and how he needed to do it... Best to keep it as vague as possible. "Err... I have something I need to take care of...but I need a special place to do it, somewhere with a lot of magic."</p><p>     "Hmm, the forest is the closest source of magic. I'm unsure what exactly you need, but why not go there?"</p><p>     "I've been there too many times as of late, I need... Somewhere different."</p><p>     "Errm, let me think..." Klug pressed his fingers to his lips, while there was a lot of magic everywhere in Primp, a place where it was highly concentrated required leaving the town's borders... "There is ..one place, but it's quite far. If you wanted to go there within the day, you might need to have Lemres help you if you can’t fly a broom..."</p><p>     "Where is it?"</p><p>     "It's outside of the town, some ruins of an ancient civilization... They had advanced magic technology, and I'm sure there's a lot of magic for your purposes...I know there was enough left back when I last visited..." Schezo raised an eyebrow at that last comment, but with how Klug's voice trailed off he figured it was best left for another time.</p><p>     "Well, if all I need is Lemres's help, I don't mind. I think that'd be a good place to do your lesson today too, if you'd like." He took a sip of the tea Klug had handed to him, it was flowery, the scent really flooded your senses but without overwhelming you... a delicate and refined flavor. "Think of it as a field trip of sorts," he smiled.</p><p>     "Oh, that sounds like fun! I'll get my things, Lemres should be dropping by soon."</p><p>     Schezo smiled as he watched Klug walk into the rest of his house and breathed a contented sigh as he relaxed in Klug's home. He took the time to observe his surroundings and took note of a few things... There was an absurd amount of books scattered about, for one thing. Bookmarks and papers were sticking out of most of them, as if Klug had gotten halfway through but had more to annotate at a later time. There were a few photos on the wall, some of Klug, some of an older man with black hair and narrow eyes, and some of them together. The photos of them together were rather solemn in tone, neither smiled much clearly. "Perhaps his father...?" He took another sip of his tea, and noticed another unusual thing- the book that Klug usually kept on his person was laying on the counter. A bright red book with gilded edges and a Puyo on the front. Without any other magical auras nearby to interfere, Schezo felt a sense of...dread, it felt familiar somehow, as if he felt it before. ...but why? Surely it was just a mere book...</p><p>     He reached out to open it, and…</p><p>     "Have you seen that red book I always- ah! There it is." Klug swiped if before Schezo could get his hands on it, but...he couldn't help but ask, just this once.</p><p>     "...Why do you carry that with you all the time?"</p><p>     "Huh?"</p><p>     "...I mean, it seems a bit silly to carry such an imposing looking book around like that..." Schezo stated, only for Klug to scoff indignantly.</p><p>     "I must ask, would you ever be caught dead without your sword?"</p><p>     "I suppose not."</p><p>     "The logic is the same with me and this book, it's...my partner, so to speak."</p><p>     "Hmm...you're a peculiar one."</p><p>     "What is that supposed to mean?!"</p><p>     "Haha, nothing nothing...you're just a bit strange."</p><p>     "Strange…” Klug seemed to be stifling some laughter at that word, “Well, I suppose I am... I don't think ambition is all that strange."</p><p>     "Hm, no, but be sure to temper it...like I said-"</p><p>     "Yes yes, magic follows the will of its caster ..." Schezo chuckled as Klug finished his sentence. They sat themself down across from him, cupping a teacup in their hands. "Lemres should be here shortly, but I hope you liked the tea."</p><p>     "Oh yes, I was about to thank you," Schezo smiled. "And it was kind of you to invite me inside...you have a nice home," his eyes wandered to one of the photos on the wall. "...is that your father?"</p><p>     "Hm?” Klug’s eyes darted to the direction Schezo was looking in, “Oh...yes, we took that photo on my 8th birthday."</p><p>     "Funny, I almost didn't recognize you...your hair is longer in the picture."</p><p>     "I only started wearing it this short a few years ago,” Klug brought their hand up to the ends of their hair. “But he'd often insist that I keep it long...he said I have the same hair as my mother, or something to that effect."</p><p>     "Well, the shorter hair suits you, I think."</p><p>     "Thanks..." Klug smiled, it was...strange having such a casual conversation with Schezo after these few weeks. Though, he realized he still knew little about him... "Schezo, might I ask-"</p><p>
  <em>Knock knock knock.</em>
</p><p>     Their attention turned to the front door of the house, and Klug practically raced to open the door where Lemres was standing. </p><p>     "Hey kiddo, ready t- Ah, Schezo’s here? Looks like you two're having a party."</p><p>     "Oh yes, he just stopped by a while ago to ask something. We're planning to go to the ruins today.”</p><p>     "The ruins...?" Lemres's expression seemed to sour a bit, but it was barely noticeable, only Schezo managed to get a glimpse of it. “Well, sure. I don’t see why not,” Lemres’s usual relaxed smile affixed itself to his face once more, but Schezo wondered to himself… With Klug’s attitude earlier and Lemres’s strange reaction, what was so odd about these ruins…?</p><p>     “I’ll get my broom, sir!”</p><p>     “You can ride with me, Schezo.”</p><p>     “Ah, thank you… You both really don’t have to do this, but it means a lot.”</p><p>     “Hey, anything for a friend,” Lemres patted Schezo on the back and the two exchanged smiles. It wasn’t often Schezo heard someone say that… a friend, huh.</p><p>     “Alright! Let’s get going,” Klug dashed out the door enthusiastically, in spite of his strange attitude earlier- he seemed to be as excited as he always is.</p><p>     “You go on ahead, we’ll follow behind you.”</p><p>     Klug nodded and slowly began his ascent into the sky, Schezo and Lemres meanwhile got onto Lemres’s broom and did the same. Schezo wasn’t very used to being off the ground, so he clung to Lemres without thinking about it as they started to get higher.</p><p>     “ Scared of heights?”</p><p>     “Ah, no, no! Just...err…” He let go of Lemres awkwardly, “...Yes, I guess so. I’m not very used to this sort of thing.”</p><p>      “Hahaha! Well, I don’t mind at all, so feel free to hold on if you gotta.” Lemres turned his eyes towards the horizon and began to push forward, causing Schezo to hold him again, this time with less awkwardness. “So, what exactly are you going there for? If you don’t mind me pryin’.”</p><p>      “Oh, well… It’s complicated,” Schezo muttered. “I could probably explain it better once we get there, but … I didn’t want to tell Klug.”</p><p>      “Oh? Why not.”</p><p>      “...I don’t want him to see the true darker side of dark magic, and what could come from his ambition if he doesn’t temper it.”       Schezo said solemnly, his eyes cast down to the ground as it transitioned from the lush green of Primp to the yellow sand dunes of Pitto.</p><p>     “...I think I get what you mean,” Lemres replied. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, but thanks for looking out for them,”</p><p>     “...I think they just remind me of myself, at that age really… I don’t think I would have taken him on as a pupil if that wasn’t the case.”</p><p>     “Huh…” Lemres said in wonder, “I guess I can see you as kind of like Klug actually, yeah.”</p><p>     “...W-What’s that supposed to mean? It’s one thing if I say it, and totally different if someone else…”</p><p>     “Hahaha, nothing nothing, I’m just teasin’. But you’ve both got some similar vibes, I guess. You both got that sorta dark charisma about you,” Lemres slowly began to descend, and a strange stone building came into view. It looked ancient and timeworn, but somehow protected from the erosion of the desert. “This is the place.”</p><p>     “Wow…” Schezo’s jaw dropped in awe, half because one could really feel how old the ruins were, and half because he could really feel an overflowing of magic in the area. “It’s beautiful, what is this place?”</p><p>      “Ruins of some civilization, it’s called the Arca Ruins. I think that was their name,” Lemres got off of his broom and helped Schezo off. “They were pretty impressive, though there’s still not much research done on this… I think the excavation started 7 years ago, and there’s still a lot of gaps to fill in.”</p><p>     “I see…” Schezo smiled, “You’re surprisingly knowledgeable yourself.”</p><p>     “Hey, I’m not the Comet Sorcerer for nothin’, you know?” Lemres elbowed Schezo playfully.</p><p>     “Schezo! Lemres! Over here!” Klug shouted in the distance, Lemres and Schezo could see that he was waving his arms frantically.</p><p>     “We’ll be right there!” Lemres shouted in response. “Well, come on. You should probably take care of your business before Klug bothers you.”</p><p>     “Right.”</p><p>      Schezo took in the beautiful surroundings, even if the rocks were eroded and some of the architecture faded, it was still a beautiful ruin. He always loved places like this. Places where time seemed to be at a standstill. The yellow of the sand coupled with the gray of the rocks created a beautiful landscape, and he gazed in wonder as they ascended the steps into one of the main buildings.</p><p>      “I’m going to go look around, let me know when you’re done looking around, too!”</p><p>     “Alright, don’t go too far, Klug!” Lemres shouted as Klug ran off towards some ancient pillar.</p><p>     “...It’s breathtaking.” Schezo murmured, his finger delicately tracing the patterns in the stone carving. He was overwhelmed by the beauty of it, in a way, it reminded him of his homeworld… “I can feel the magic here, so I think this building should do the trick.”</p><p>     “You mind if I stay to watch? I’ll make sure Klug doesn’t come back too soon.”</p><p>     “Yes, that would be...appreciated, actually.” Schezo went inside the building and sat down once more in his meditative position. Though this time, he rested his palms on the floor of the ruin and quietly sensed the magic before starting. The energy was intense, so he had to take it slower than usual. He breathed deeply and cleared his mind, letting the magical energy of the area flow through his body. He held his breath for a moment, worried that it might overwhelm him, but found that the magic here had a somewhat...lonely feeling, as if it missed the people that used it. It seemed to flow into him naturally, as if it had finally found a place to rest. He resumed his natural breathing pace, feeling his body restored by the magic, and sighed as he lifted his palms off of the ground.</p><p>     “...Well, that was cool, I don’t know what just happened but you sure did a cool glowy thing there,” Lemres chuckled.</p><p>     “Ah, sorry, I get sort of caught up in it when I have to do it…” Schezo replied. “I suppose I can tell you, at least.” Lemres walked into the ruin and sat next to Schezo, and even though his eyes weren’t open, Schezo could tell he was listening intently. “I was...cursed, as a boy. I was young, only fourteen when it happened.” He looked at his hands, “Being the Dark Wizard isn’t a title to be taken lightly, it requires one to steal magic in order to live, you’re essentially unable to sustain your own life force...So you must take others unless you wish to live the rest of your eternal existence as a walking corpse.”</p><p>     “...So, you’re immortal.”</p><p>     “In a sense...I think I would die if I were to stop stealing magic, but I just...can’t bring myself to hurt another. I’ve tried, and it’s always fruitless...So, I did my best to make dark magic work for me, instead of working for dark magic. It took a while to learn how to tap into natural magic reserves, but I’ve managed somehow...”</p><p>     “Smart,” Lemres smiled. “...I can see why you don’t want Klug to know about this,” his tone darkened a bit.</p><p>     “Yes, I...admire his dedication, but I don’t want him to know the horrors of my existence, and how...dull it’s become.”</p><p>     “Well,” Lemres shrugged, “They’re in a more similar position to you than you realize.”</p><p>     “...? How so?”</p><p>     “...Well, it was probably a year ago now, but he… was possessed once, he’s fine now but he doesn’t seem to think about the whole thing as negative.” Lemres sighed, “Though I wonder sometimes if the spirit that possessed him was more malicious, if he’d still be the same Klug we know right now.”</p><p>     “...Was it an evil spirit…?”</p><p>     “...Vengeful, but not evil, I think. In spite of what that book says...Oh yeah, it’s inside that book he always carries around, I forgot to mention that.”</p><p>     “...Oh…” That explained the odd feeling Schezo felt earlier. “He said something curious to me earlier, that the book was his partner…”</p><p>     “Yeah, they’re inseparable…I don’t think they’re a bad influence on each other, I’m not one to judge a book by its cover,” Lemres chuckled at his own joke, but his expression quickly darkened. “...but...knowing that the incident was partially my fault, I sometimes...worry.”</p><p>     “Whatever for?”</p><p>     “...I guess that they’d hate me for it, or that if the situation’s outcome was worse Klug wouldn’t be here anymore, or the demon would be stuck in a worse situation...”</p><p>     “...I don’t think they could ever hate you, Lemres. ...Not sure about the demon but, I don’t think Klug could ever bring himself to hate you. They have a lot of faith in you”</p><p>     “...Thanks, I hope so. ...I just want to do the right thing.”</p><p>     “I suppose that’s hard when it feels like the world is pulling you in many directions at once.”</p><p>     “Yeah… On one hand there’s my family, on the other there’s my own will, and outside of my own will there’s everyone else that looks up to me and expects things of me. Sometimes, I don’t know which direction is the right one...” Lemres sighed and stood up, dusting the dirt off his pants. “Well, I’m sure he’s wondering where we are now.” He extended his hand and helped Schezo to his feet, and the two walked outside into the desert sun once more. Klug was still outside somehow, frantically writing down notes into his notebook. “Yo, Klug!”</p><p>     “Ah, you’re done?” Klug ran towards them, beaming much like the desert sun.</p><p>     “Yes, this place was just what I needed. We can start with your lesson now,” Schezo smiled and patted Klug on the shoulder. “We should go somewhere with more shade though, I’m not built for the heat…” he groaned as he felt the sweat building up under his clothes.</p><p>     The three moved under the shade of a nearby tree and began the lesson, Lemres leaned against it while Schezo guided Klug’s hands in creating a sigil in the sand.</p><p>     “It’s like no matter what I do, it just won’t listen!” Klug grumbled. Schezo laughed at Klug’s exasperation and moved his hand slowly a bit more.</p><p>     “Well, wind is well-known for being the most rebellious and finicky magic. It’s perhaps the most strong-willed of the basic elements, so I understand the struggle,” He slowly guided Klug’s hand to enclose the runes. A small cyclone suddenly manifested within the circle, and then quickly faded away. “You sort of have to be gentle with it, the more strong-willed you are, the more it’ll try to resist.”</p><p>     “I see…” Klug took some notes in a journal and took that red book into their hands again. “Reminds me of something else in a way, hahaha…” Klug nervously chuckled and went back to drawing sigils in the sand, this time without Schezo’s guidance. Schezo stood up and smiled, though his expression was tinged with a bit of worry.</p><p>     “You’ll get the hang of it soon. Learning how to humble yourself is the first step of understanding magic...and figuring out the direction you want to take with your life.” As Schezo said this, Klug enclosed another sigil but it blew into Lemres’s direction and blew his hat off.</p><p>     “Oh, whoopsie.”</p><p>     “Oh, sorry, Lemres!”</p><p>     “I’ll get it,” Schezo stood up and followed the hat to wherever it would land.</p><p>     “Looks like that one was a bit lopsided, Klug,” Lemres patted Klug’s head. “You’re getting there though!”</p><p>     “Ah, thank you, sir!” Klug bowed slightly, getting praise from Lemres always felt surreal. “Erm… While he’s gone, might I ask...what was he doing, exactly?”</p><p>     “Hmm...I think revealing all of his secrets would take the fun out of this experience for you, so maybe you should talk to him yourself.”</p><p>     “W-What? That’s no fair…”</p><p>     “Hahaha! Well, I just think it’d be more fun that way.”</p><p>     Schezo came back at this moment, he was out of breath but had managed to get Lemres’s hat back. It was a bit sandy, but it looked otherwise undamaged.</p><p>     “Haah...well, here you go…” He handed the hat to Lemres, and noticed that Lemres’s face was quite different without that wide brim obscuring it. His cheerful expression seemed much more tired and worried than it seemed. He must have so much weight on his shoulders, Schezo thought to himself.</p><p>     “Thank ya kindly,” He dusted it off and set it back on his head. “I think that was a good field trip for today, but we should head back now before it gets too hot.”</p><p>     “Agreed, I’d like to take a nap right now…”</p><p>     “I also agree, but… I want to say something just very quickly, before we go.” Lemres and Schezo’s eyes trained on Klug as they intently listened to what they had to say. “I just wanted to say, err… Thank you, both of you, for...everything,” Klug smiled sheepishly and smiled at both of them. “I don’t really know what I’m doing sometimes but...Thank you for guiding me in the right direction.” Lemres and Schezo both gave Klug a pat on the back and smiled.</p><p>     “Hey, we all need guidance...some more than others, I’m just happy I can give it to someone who reminds me so much of myself,” Schezo said. “Next lesson is your last one but… I hope you can come to me if you need any guidance.”</p><p>     “Of course! I’ll keep you in mind, and Lemres too, of course…” Lemres beamed at Schezo and Klug, he was… happy to see Klug like this, and happy that Schezo seemed to be feeling more at home in this strange new world.</p><p>     “Well, let’s go home.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading this really long chapter!! Wow!! I can't believe I finished this one. Next one will be the last, I think... Just a note, this fic takes place 2 years-ish after Fever 2 and very shortly after 15th anniversary. If people were curious about the timeframe of this...</p>
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